# ASME A17.1 / CSA B44: Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators

> The harmonized U.S. and Canadian safety code for elevators and escalators. It includes requirements for emergency two-way communication from inside the car to authorized personnel who can act on a call for help.

- Designation: ASME A17.1 / CSA B44
- Issuing organization: American Society of Mechanical Engineers / CSA Group
- Edition: Issued in revised editions on a multi-year cycle. Recent editions have added requirements around message display and video, so the adopted edition materially changes what is required.
- Jurisdictions: United States; Canada; where adopted by the authority having jurisdiction
- Last reviewed: July 29, 2026

## Scope

Applies to elevator installations where adopted by the jurisdiction. Relevant to POTS replacement because the emergency communication path from the car has historically been an analog telephone line, and replacing it changes a code-governed element.

## Key considerations

### Two-way communication must reach someone who can act

The requirement is not merely that a call is placed, but that it reaches authorized personnel able to respond. A replacement path has to preserve that end-to-end outcome, not just dial tone.

### Monitoring and failure detection

Recent editions address monitoring of the communication means so a failure is identified. A replaced line that can be supervised and alerted on is generally easier to demonstrate than one that cannot.

### Backup power

Emergency communication must function when a passenger is trapped, which is frequently during a power failure. Integrated battery backup in the replacement appliance is directly relevant.

### Inspector acceptance

Elevator inspectors and the AHJ determine acceptability. An elevator can be taken out of service if the emergency communication path is not acceptable, so coordinate before migrating.

Elevator lines are usually the first thing to migrate and the last thing you want to get
wrong. A rejected communication path can put the car out of service.

## Getting an elevator communication path accepted

Elevator communication is inspected by parties with authority to remove a car from service,
which makes this the migration where sequencing and documentation pay off most.

Involve three groups early. **The elevator service contractor**, who knows how the car's
emergency phone is wired and what the controller expects. **The AHJ or elevator inspector**, who
will apply the code edition the jurisdiction has adopted. **Whoever answers the phone** — because
two-way communication requires an attended far end, and confirming that end still answers is
part of the test.

Test from inside the car, not from the machine room. Lift the handset, confirm the call reaches
the intended destination unaided, confirm audio in both directions, and confirm whatever
location or identification information the answering point expects to receive arrives correctly.
Then repeat on backup power.

Document the result with date, car identification, who tested, who answered, and what was
observed. Keep it with the elevator inspection file, where the next inspector will look for
it.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can an elevator emergency phone use a cellular connection?**

Cellular paths are used in practice, but acceptability depends on the adopted code edition and the AHJ's determination for that installation. Confirm before migrating, since the consequence of a rejected path is an out-of-service elevator.

**What happens if the elevator phone line fails?**

A trapped passenger cannot summon help, and the elevator may be red-tagged by an inspector. This is why elevator lines are typically sequenced first in a migration.

**Does ASME A17.1 require monitoring of the phone line?**

Recent editions address monitoring of the communication means. Which requirements apply depends on the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.

## Official sources

- [ASME A17.1/CSA B44 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators](https://blog.ansi.org/ansi/asme-a17-1-2025-safety-code-elevator-csa-b44/) — American Society of Mechanical Engineers

## Compliance disclaimer

Applicability depends on the jurisdiction, the code edition adopted locally, the specific configuration and installation, and the determination of the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ). No product can guarantee compliance on its own — compliance is a property of the installed system. Confirm requirements with your AHJ and a qualified designer before relying on any statement here.


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Canonical page: https://dataremote.com/newsroom/standards/asme-a17-1-csa-b44
Organization: DataRemote, Inc. — POTS line replacement, cellular failover, and fixed wireless access solutions. https://dataremote.com